Frank Mulligan: Pump up gas savings – no fueling

Gas prices have declined of late, which is good news for those of us who enjoy having money.

Frank Mulligan

Gas prices have declined of late, which is good news for those of us who enjoy having money.
Prices, however, are still far above those registered at the pumps this time last year.

It’s almost as if a limited commodity will always be subject to price fluctuations that will trend upward over time.

On the off chance that prices may escalate in the future – possibly around the home-heating season – here are a few tips to stretch your gas pennies on the road.

There are, after all, many simple, commonsense ways in which to save on fuel prices beyond the “easy way out” of opting for more fuel-efficient vehicles or developing conveyances that don’t rely solely on gasoline. I mean, c’mon.

Tip time:

Drive downhill. Select destinations that are downhill whenever possible. This will help increase fuel efficiency, particularly if you don’t have to return via the same route.
Avoid high-speed pursuits. Whenever possible, avoid leading police on high-speed pursuits. If you are, in fact, a criminal, and consider high-speed pursuits to be part of your work routine, attempt whenever possible to confine these chase situations to the highway, where greater fuel economy can be maintained.
Road rage spells fuelish waste. Flying into blind, uncontrollable rages on the road is not only behavior that can best be described as unseemly, it can lead to errors in judgment that can cost you precious fuel dollars. If you’re prone to “losing it,” find ways to scale back your retaliatory instincts and increase your fuel efficiency. For instance, instead of trying to ram another vehicle for some imagined transgression or slight, try and confine your response to an obscene gesture.
Ask people to drive you places. Whenever possible, ask people where they’re driving. If it’s the same place you’d like to go, ask them to take you and promise to return the favor. Then, avoid them in the future.
Drive with the prevailing wind. Studies have shown that driving with the wind at your back can decrease fuel consumption, particularly at hurricane or gale-force levels.
Avoid driving. Refusing to drive places can save up to 100 percent of your fuel dollar.
Become a recluse. Reclusive people who refuse to leave their homes can record dramatic fuel savings.
Try not to turn. Studies have indicated that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and the shorter the distance the greater the savings on fuel consumption. While you shouldn’t take this to extremes that would include driving onto sidewalks or through private residences, the astute driver should be able to cut a few corners and save a few dollars as a result.
Follow closely behind larger vehicles. While tailgating is considered a dangerous practice, following really closely behind a large truck will cut back wind resistance and save on fuel consumption. Yes, this will increase the likelihood of eventual collision, but, as the cook said to the person or persons who desired to eat breakfast, “You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. Unless, of course, you use powdered eggs or some sort of egg substitute but that simply won’t taste as good.”

It’s hoped that these few tips will help the cost-conscious consumer stretch those fuel pennies into fuel nickels and even fuel dimes.

Godspeed – but in a fuel-friendly fashion!

Frank Mulligan is an editor in the CNC Raynham (Mass.) office and can be reached at fmulliga@cnc.com

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